Brook Lopez undergoes surgery on foot to replace screw

The team announced Monday that center Brook Lopez underwent surgery on his right foot to repair a bent screw.

Brook Lopez will be shut down for about two months after the third foot surgery of his career.Credit: AFP/Getty Images

The Nets' offseason has been focused largely on what's happening with their coaching staff. And now, new head coach Jason Kidd has his first reason for concern.

The team announced Monday that center Brook Lopez underwent surgery on his right foot to repair a bent screw. The damaged screw was discovered in a physical after the season ended.

Lopez will not be able to resume basketball activities until August.

"During the course of Brook’s postseason physical, our doctors found that the screw in his surgically repaired right foot had bent," general manager Billy King said in a statement. "The screw was subsequently replaced, and Brook should resume basketball-related activities in August."

Lopez originally fractured his foot in December 2011 in a preseason game against the Knicks. He underwent surgery to repair the fifth metatarsal. He returned on Feb. 19, 2012 after missing 32 games, but only played in five games before reinjuring the same foot. He sat out the rest of the 2011-12 season with another fracture in his foot.

Lopez was an All-Star in 2012-13 for the first time in his career. He finished with 19.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

He is just 25 years old, but foot injuries are especially problematic for centers. Big men such as Yao Ming, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Bill Walton were forced into early retirement due to nagging foot injuries.

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